Steering mechanism.



0. F. PBRSSON.

STEERING MEGHANISM, APPLIOATION FILED ooms, 1907.

1,9 1,861 Patented Mar.31,1914.

EN Q@ Im/emto; Otto F. Bergson/1,

By y

is a section on thev line 2-2, Fig. l, looking ,STEERING MECHANISM.

To alle/01mm it may concern: Y l

'Be' fit known kthat'I, OTTO F. Persson, a citizen "of the` .United States, residing at Lynn, county' of Essex, State ofMassachusette, have Iinvented certain new'and useful Improvenientsv in', Steering Mechanisms, of which the, following is a specification.

V- My Ainvention relates ingeneral to steer' ing me'chianism for road vehicles, boats or air ships and is illustrated as applied to a steering mechanism of that type which has a motion-checking' device for the purpose of preventing the transmission of shocks due tofirregularities in the roadway, from the vehicle vv'vhee'ls t0 the'hand wheel by which "they-are'turned to direct the course of a vehiclellf- The'obje'ct dftheinvention is to provide a Y steering lmechanism" 'of the type described, which is'compact, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, readily adapted to thecondigons., found "in,.,"diferentv road vehicles or other apparatus, "and having large and ample`bearingsurf`aces` for receiving the shocks e to. which'it is ected, cooperating with lthe, other, partsn of' ther mechanism,y to produce a; highly elficientfacndd ydurable ldevice.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one` embodiment ofthe invention, Figure l is `afcentral, se'cti'onof the apparatus; Fig. 2

in the ,direction of the arrows;and Fig. 3 isa vliew of an'automobile having a portion brokenawa-y to show the manner in which lthesteering mechanism is attached to the frame.y f

v Secured,tothe frame 1 of ther vehicle by means ofthe flanges 2 is a casing 3 l'which inclos'les the' parts and eiiciently protects them from" dirt, etc. i

"Mounted in the bearings 4 formed in the heads. 5 and Gat the upper and lower ends of theca'sing is aT shaft Attached to the lower end of the shaft is an arm or crank Y,8; having a connection v9 leading from its outer endto the 'levers whichA control the position of the "front wheels by whichl the course of the vehicle is directed. Intermediate the lends of 'the shaftf?" is an' enlarged portion 10 havingscrewpthreads or Aprojecn Speciicatonof Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

v Application filed October 5, 19Q7. Serial No. 396,010.l

the enlarged portion 10 are in engagement with shoulders formed on the bea-rings `4` which prevent the shaft from moving longitudinally but permit it to rotate freely in the 5, respectively, ofthe casing. The shaft 12*` has an enlarged portion 15 located betweenl tions `11 of very coarsepitch. The'ends of' shoulders formed on the ends of the bearl ings 13 and 14 which prevent it frommov-` ing longitudinally but permit it to rotate freely. This enlarged portion has a screw thread 16 formed on it. The pitch of the screw-.thread is much less than that ofthe thread 11 and the thread itselfmay be a double,'triple, quadruple or other thread, depending upon the conditions found in the particular vehicle-to which the mechanism is tol be applied. The shaft 12 is extended upward within the steering post 17 and carries on its upper end a steering wheel 18.

Mounted within the hollowv interior of the shaft are the' usualA shafts 'and connections;

for controlling the operation of the vehicle motor. i

Within the casing and in engagement with the screnis 11 and 16 is a-nut which might be formed as one integral member, but I prefer, for reasons of convenience 'in manufacturing, assembling and repairing the appaf ratus, to make this member in two parts, or nuts; the nut 19 engaging the screw 16, and

the nut 20'engaging the .screw-.11. vAny` movement of the nuts `from the Aneutral position, Fig. 1, causes the wearing-surfaces to overrun, preventing shoulders from-.forining. Board flat guides 21 formed on oppoy site sides of the nur, 420 are arranged inv 23 located on .the side ofthe nut 20 toward the lshaft 12 engagesl corresponding broad.'

Hat guides 24 formed onthe nut 19 to pre,

ventfthe two nuts rotating relatively to each* its screw and'nut are received by the large it is `unable to overcome the resist-anceto its `or repair, and `also facilitate the assembly lproportioned with respect to the work which nis to be done by it.. For light vehicles a vrection. In other words, the mechanism is other. .y {l-he area of all of these guides is i such thatjfhe pressure per square inch therel on due to` road strains is verysmall. Jaws 5 25 project from the nut 19 toward the nut g 20. Lugs 26 on the nut 20 project into the space between the jaws 25 and cause the two nuts to move together in a longitudinal direction. There may be sufficient play between the lugs and the jaws to permit the parallel relation of the shafts to be varied to a limited extent without interfering with the operation of the mechanism. This allows t the parts to be made in an interchangeable manner and facilitates their manufacture.

"The removable heads 5- and 6 afford access t0 the parts within the casing for inspection of the parts. The interior of the casing may be filled with oil, if desired, so that the screws and nutsare constantly flooded with lubricant. The diameters of the bearings 4, 13 and 14 are such that the nuts-19 and 20 slide or telescope over them as they move to and fro. l

In operating' the mechanism the shaft 12 and its screw 16 are rotated in either direction by the hand-wheel 18 to move the nut 19 up or down. The screw 16 will be singlerotation ofthe wheel will generally be found satisfactory for turning the forward-wheels from their extreme right position to their extreme left position, or vice versa. With heavier vehicles the screw will 'be so proportioned that it will take two, three or four turns of the steering wheel `to move the vehicle wheels in the above manner. As the nut 19 moves up or down, the nut '20 is moved .with it and acts upon the screw 11 to rotate the shaft 7 in either direction. The movement of the shaft is transmitted by the arm 8 to the levers which move the forward wheels as already described. Any shoclrs transmitted from the road wheels tending .to turn the shaft 7,

bearing surfaces of the guides. The pitch of the screw 11 is such that the component of the forces due to shocks acting in a direction to move the nut axially is so small that action and no movement occursA in that di-4 irreversibley so that shocks are not t-ransy mitted to the steering wheel, and when the v-driver turns the wheel to -a given position, it

will 'remain undisturbed in that positioni without further effort on his part.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but

What I claim as new and desire t-o secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. In combination, a shaft, a steering device for rotating the shaft, a second shaft parallei-.to the first shaft and axially-displaced therefrom, a casing in which said shafts are mounted, threaded means carried by 'both shafts transmitting motion from the first shaft to the second shaft when said first shaft is rotated by the steering device and preventing the transmission of motion from the second shaft to the first, guides on said means, and guideways on the casing eooperating with the guides to prevent said means from rotating and to cause it to move longitudinally.

if. In combination, a shaft, a steering wheel for rotating the shaft, a second shaft, screw-threads on the-shafts, and interlocking nut-s mounted on the shafts which transmit mot-ion from the first shaft to the second when said first shaft is rotated by the wheel and prevent the transmission of motion from the second shaft to the first.

3. In combination, a shaft, a steering wheel for rotating the shaft, a second shaft, a casing in which said shafts are mounted,

screw -threads on the shafts, interlocking lnuts mounted on the shaftswhich transmit motion from the first shaft to the second when said first shaft is rotated by the wheel and preventthe transmission of motion from the second shaft to 'the first, guides on said nuts. and guideways on the casing cop-l second shaft to the first.4

5. In a'steering mechanism, the combina"- tion of a steering wheel, a shaft actuated by the wheel, a casing in which the shaft is mounted, means mounted lfor longitudinal movement within 4the casing and having two substantially parallel openings provided with screw-threads of different pitch, a screw-thread on the wheel-shaft which engages the threaded interior of the opening having the thread of finer lpitch to move said means when the wheel is rotated, a second shaft substantially parallel to `t-he wheel .e thread on thesecond shaft, a nut in engageshaftpa screwfthrad on the second shaft which i' pitch'to--rotate saidl shaft as said means is moved longitudinally, guides .on` said means, and 'fguidefways jon "the casing 'c'opeiadning with theffguidestofprevent said means from rotatingfand tofgcause it `to'imove longitudinally.

'6. In tion of a steering whe`el,`fa shaft actuatedy by thel wheel, a casing in which the shaft is mounted, a two-part nut mounted for longitudinal movement in the casing, a screwthread on the shaft engaging the threaded interior of one part of the nut, a second shaft parallel to the rst shaft, a screwthread on the second shaft, the second part of the nut being adjacent the rst part, moving in the same direction therewith and provided with a screw-thread' which engages the thread on the second shaft to drive the flatter when the nutl is moved longitudinally by rotating the steering wheel, and a connecting member extending from the second Shaft. l

7. .In a steering mechanism for vehicles,

` the combination of a casing, a steering-wheel guides, means arranged between the two nuts which causes them to move together but permits the parallel relation of the shafts' to vary to alimited extent, and a connecting l member extending from the second shaft.

8. In a steering mechanism for vehicles, the combination of a casing, a steering-wheel shaft mounted in the casing, a screw-thread on a portion of the shaft, a nut in engage ment with the thread, a second shaft mounted in thedcasing in substantially parallel relation to the first shaft, a connecting member extendingV from the second shaft, a screw- `"ment with the screw-thread on the second engagea" by the threaded mangi' t t the Opration Of 'th' apparat-QS" of the'lopeninghavmg the thread of coarser d 9. v.11il a,"niotionicheckingj "casing, acoarse pitch screwthfreadfo gt l shaft, a,r longitudinally-movable nut enga ning thi screwfthread'fto,rotate v i y. second fshaftin'ounted "inthecasuino a steering mechan1sm,.the combina" to a limited extent without interfering with te aan steering "element connected'- to" sa therewith, a screw-thread onv th'ej secondfi shaft whichengages the second nut to move it longitudinally, means for rotating the second shaft, and journal bearings for t-he shafts carried by the casing and over which the nuts'telescope as theytmove to and fro.

10. In a motion-checking device for vehicles, the combination of a casing, a shaft mounted in the casing, an arm on the shaft, a connecting member extending from the arm, a coarse pitch screw on the shaft, a nut guided for longitudinal movement in the casing and engaging the screw to rotate the shaft, a second shaft mounted in the casing `parallel tothe first shaft, a steering wheel on the second shaft, a second nut connected to the first nut for longitudinal movement therewith, means for preventing the relative rotation of the nuts, and a screw on the second shaft which yengages the second nut-to move it longitudinally.

11. In .a motion-checking device, the combination of a hollow casing having longitudinal guideways in its inner surface, a nut provided with oppositely-located guides on its periphery extending substantially the length of the nut and having large'bearing surfaces in engagement with said guideways, a shaft passing through the nut, b`earings on the casing for the Shaft, a -screw thread on the shaft in engagement with the nut, the pitch of the thread being such'that by moving the nut axially the shaft is rotated but a sudden force tending to rotate it is unable to shift the nut, a second nut and screw for moving the lirst nut axially to rotate its screw-shaft, a connection between the two nuts, .a second shaft parallel to the first on which the second screw is mounted, and means for rotating said second shaft.

12. In a steering mechanism for vehicles', the combination of a casing, a steering-wheel shaft mounted in the casing and having a screw-thread on a portionthereof, a nut in engagement with the thread, a second shaft mounted inthe casing in parallel relation to the rst shaft and having a screw-thread of coarse pitch on a portion thereof, a nut in engagement with thev screw-thread on the second shaft, diametrically opposite guides on the nut that engage the casing and premovement -of the nut, means arranged between theftWo nuts at right angles to the -guides that prevent rotation and'longit-udihal movement of the nuts relative to each other, and a. connecting member extending rom the second shaft.

13. In combination, a casing, a vshaft jourfnaled in the easing, a steering Wheel for ro- J.tating the shaft,"a second shaft n the cas- "ing, screw-threads on said shafts, nuts mounted to run on said threads and rigidly nterlo-cked to each other Wherebyjmotion 1'5 In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set .my hand this third day of October, 1907.

OTTO F. PERSSON.

Witnesses:

J OHN A. MGMANUS, Jr., HENRY O.' VESTENDA'RP. u 

